Washington – The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today condemned several gay marriage groups for intentionally attempting to mislead LGBT Americans and the media about NOM’s views on violence. The following statement may be attributed to Brian Brown, NOM’s president:

“It is becoming clear that the national gay marriage network is attempting to coordinate a message they know to be false: that NOM tolerates or even encourages violence toward gay or lesbian Americans. These groups – including Freedom to Marry, Equality California and prominent gay bloggers – are attempting to use this false claim as a way to divert attention from organized harassment of supporters of marriage, and for raising money and building their lists. It’s unconscionable that they would deliberately misrepresent our views and scare their own followers just to raise money for themselves.

“The groups are showing a photo of a disturbing sign raised at a NOM rally by a single individual. This sign suggesting violence was immediately rebuked by NOM and we demanded that the individual take it down. NOM issued a nationwide email blast the following day saying, ‘We told the individual to take down his sign because it is wrong and not reflective of NOM’s aims, methods and message: we come together in love to support marriage as one man and one woman.’

“Gay marriage groups know that NOM does not advocate or condone violence and that we have already condemned the brief display of this sign. Despite this, they are sending emails to their supporters asking for money. Equality California went as far as titling their fundraising email, ‘NOM’s Solution to Gay Marriage: Kill Gay Couples.’ We hope that gay and lesbian Americans will see the lengths to which groups like Freedom to Marry and Equality California go to manipulate them so that they will give money. It’s truly shameful.

“Over the course of the ‘Summer for Marriage’ tour, NOM’s supporters have consistently been bullied and harassed by organized gay marriage groups. There is extensive video documentation showing nursing mothers being harassed, children being taunted, priests being taunted, demonstrators loudly booing a prominent Bishop as he led the assembly in the Lord’s prayer, and even a threat to kidnap a child.

“NOM’s position on violence and intimidation is very clear: we believe that every person has the right to express their views on marriage and that each side should treat supporters of the other with respect and civility. We condemn the intimidation and harassment against our supporters that is being organized by gay marriage groups just as we condemn the sign that was displayed by a single individual at one of our rallies.”

And kudos to CT, where we legalized civil unions in 2005, and marriage equality in 2008. So now I perform non-religious civil marriage ceremonies for couples all the time, many of whom have been together for 20, 30 and 45 years!